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Faith walk: Strikeout

Dr. William P. Register First Assembly Fleming Island
Posted 4/3/19

There is a great old poem that has brought loads of entertainment to multiple people for many years. The poem is “Casey at the Bat.” Written in 1888, it tells the story of the local baseball …

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Faith walk: Strikeout


Posted

There is a great old poem that has brought loads of entertainment to multiple people for many years. The poem is “Casey at the Bat.” Written in 1888, it tells the story of the local baseball hero, Casey, who walked up to the plate to hit with two outs and two men on base in the bottom of the ninth inning. The crowd adoringly cried out with faithful expectancy as Casey stepped up to hit. They were two runs down but Casey was the winning run at the plate. Everyone in the stadium expected him to save the day. With two strikes on him, Casey swung his bat with great power at the third pitch. Then the poem says,

“Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright;

“The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,

“And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout;

“But there is no joy in Mudville—mighty Casey has struck out.”

Casey was not the only one to strike out at a crucial moment. It happens to everyone. Babe Ruth, the famed “Sultan of Swat,” struck out 1,330 times. So far, there are 114 major league players who struck out more times than he did! But Babe Ruth also hit 714 home runs in his career. Almost no one remembers the Babe’s strikeouts. But many fans know he hit 714 homers. For many years was the record holder.

You may feel like you are the “strikeout king.” Falls and failures have plagued you. You have fallen so many times you cannot remember them. But I want to tell you there is one who does not count your strikeouts; He does not even count your strikes. He is not standing by you to highlight the times you fall.

The Lord will not push you down into your defeat; He will lift you up into great victory! It is God’s plan and His will to bring you into the place of powerful victory in your life.

You can say, “I may be down, but I’m not defeated.” That is the statement of winners. Do not emphasize your failures. Dwell on your victories!

Paul said it well. “But thanks be to God, who always causes us to triumph in Christ.” (2 Cor. 2:14)

www.firstagcc.org. Write the Pastor at PastorBill@firstagcc.org.